Dutch Lonborg first trained for his legendary career as a basketball coach and administrator by playing guard for master coach Phog Allen at Kansas. Coaching collegiately for 29 years at McPherson College, Washburn University, and Northwestern University, his greatest success was at Northwestern, where in 23 years he won 237 games and made the Wildcats a force in the Big Ten. After coaching, Lonborg became athletics director at Kansas for fourteen years and went on to be active in all facets of basketball administration. As chairman of the NCAA Tournament Committee, the tournament grew from an eight-team to a 25-team event. Lonborg also served as president of the NABC in 1935 and managed the U.S. Olympic basketball team in 1960.